Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper is interviewing for the same position at Florida, said a person familiar with the situation.
The person said Roper was in Florida interviewing with the Gators on Monday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Florida isn’t commenting publicly on its search.
Roper followed coach David Cutcliffe to Duke in 2008 from Tennessee and helped rebuild the Blue Devils from one of the nation’s worst power-conference programs to the champions of the ACC’s Coastal Division.
Roper was a finalist this year for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach. He helped the 22nd-ranked Blue Devils (10-3) set a school record for wins and earn a spot in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against No. 20 Texas A&M on Dec. 31 in Atlanta.
Before coming to Durham, he coached at three Southeastern Conference schools – Tennessee (2006-07), Kentucky (2005) and Mississippi with Cutcliffe (1999-2004).
Florida is looking for a replacement for offensive coordinator Brent Pease. He and offensive line coach Tim Davis were fired less than 24 hours after the Gators (4-8) wrapped up their first losing season since 1979.
Pease and Davis were the primary scapegoats for a dismal season in which Florida ranked 112th in total offense – the third straight year it placed 100th or worse.
The Gators managed just 279 yards in a 26-20 loss to lower-division Georgia Southern on Nov. 23 and then 193 in a season-ending 37-7 loss to the Seminoles.
Florida lost its final seven games and missed a bowl game for the first time since 1990. The Gators threw just four touchdown passes during that losing streak.